English

The Ministry of Railways and Bangladesh Railway have adopted a time-bound reform plan to improve the country’s rail transport system. The highest priority is placed on enhancing passenger services. The plan also includes reopening closed stations, managing human resources efficiently, and implementing transparent, well-planned development activities across 10 key areas. The reforms are set to be implemented over two years, with short-, medium-, and long-term goals. Railway officials believe that once the reforms are implemented, the quality of service will improve significantly.

The reform plan places the improvement of passenger services at the forefront. A three-month plan has been developed to ensure punctuality, enhance service quality, identify the causes of train delays, and implement effective measures to reduce them. The plan includes adjusting the number of trains and coaches on different routes based on passenger demand, lifting temporary speed restrictions to increase sectional speed, forming a ‘quick response team’ for emergency assistance during accidents, and establishing monitoring cells at the zone and division levels to oversee service quality. The plan also calls for regular maintenance of train carriages, including cleaning restrooms, seats, and windows and ensuring lights, fans, and air conditioners function properly. Moreover, a ‘real-time train information display system’ will be introduced at key stations, a call center or hotline will be launched for passengers, and a process for collecting feedback at stations will be implemented. These measures are scheduled for implementation between October 2024 and January 1, 2025.

Railway officials stated that, under this time-bound reform plan, the existing railway law will be updated by September 30, 2026, and the master plan for establishing a balanced rail network nationwide will also be revised.

Additionally, the draft of the ‘Bangladesh Railway Land Management Policy 2020’ will be approved by December 14, 2024. Railway officials believe that this policy will facilitate the easy leasing of railway land and expedite the resolution of legal disputes and other conflicts, thereby ensuring proper documentation and possession of railway property, which will, in turn, increase revenue.

A one-year human resource development plan has been adopted to develop a skilled and technically proficient workforce and enhance the quantity and quality of railway services. This plan includes filling vacant positions, modernizing the Railway Training Academy and workshop training units, updating curriculums, and providing regular training on skill development. These initiatives will be implemented by September 30, 2025.

Bangladesh Railway has also planned to rehabilitate 10 old locomotives and 80 overdue coaches by the 2026-27 fiscal year. Additionally, 100 new coaches will be procured to ensure trains run according to the timetable. Under the reform plan, two new rail lines will be installed at Dhaka Railway Station, and modern machinery will be procured for coach and locomotive factories.

When asked about the reform plan, Sardar Shahadat Ali, Director General of Bangladesh Railway, told Bonik Barta, “We prepared a proposal for the reform plan and submitted it to the Ministry of Railways. After joint discussions between the ministry and Bangladesh Railway, a reform plan covering 10 key areas was adopted. Based on this, we will implement some short-term activities while other plans have been adopted for medium and long-term execution. Several committees have already been formed to implement these plans, and railway workers at the field level have also been instructed on the reform activities.”